Uncovering Fluoride Contamination in Groundwater of Arid and Semi-Arid Regions: Stigma to Solutions

Fluoride contamination in the groundwater is a threat to water security. This is highly dangerous in arid and semi-arid regions which comprises one-third of the world region where more than 20% of the population resides. Elevated levels of fluoride in the groundwater are largely reported from these areas which is widely used for drinking without any prior treatment. It is of great concern as the consumption of elevated levels of fluoride causes dental fluorosis and skeletal fluorosis to humans. Furthermore, insufficient rainfall and high evapotranspiration vis-à-vis longer water–rock interactions are noticeably responsible for the elevated levels of fluoride in these regions. Unluckily, most of these regions fall in the developing world, and thus, governing policies are many times inefficient in providing sustainable water supply for drinking. Therefore, more feasible and practical solutions in conjunction with strong policy intervention are required to solve this global contaminant issue. This chapter highlights various facets of fluoride contamination and discusses various challenges in providing fluoride-free water in contaminated arid and semi-arid regions.